Herbert Macaulay

Lore & Background

Herbert Macaulay was a man of striking contrasts in both appearance and personal life. He was reportedly the first Nigerian to own a motor car, a symbol of his modern, affluent status in Victorian Lagos society. Despite his Anglican upbringing—his father founded Nigeria’s first secondary school and his grandfather was Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther—Macaulay openly embraced indigenous African religious traditions. He was deeply superstitious, dabbled in magic, and kept personal papers filled with notes from fortune tellers and diviners, including instructions on taboos, sacrifices, and other occult practices. He even became a member of the Association of Babalawos (Ifa priests) of Lagos. His private life was equally complex: after his wife Caroline died in childbirth in 1899, he vowed never to remarry, yet he had numerous liaisons, including with a woman named Ms. da Souza, a returnee from Brazil, with whom he had several children. He also lived with Stella Davies Coker from 1909 until her death in 1916, and they had a daughter. Macaulay fathered many other children, including Oliver, Frank, Florence, Enitan, Tokunbo, Samuel, and Helena. A great socialite, he hosted concerts and film shows at his Yaba residence, “Kirsten Hall,” earning the nickname “Wizard of Kirsten Hall” for his ability to obtain classified colonial information through a paid network of informants.

Reader's Guide

Herbert Macaulay’s significance stems from his multifaceted career and his role as a pioneer of Nigerian nationalism. Trained in England as a civil engineer and surveyor, he also earned certificates in music from Trinity College, London, and the Music International College, London. After returning to Lagos in 1893, he worked as a surveyor of Crown Lands for the colonial service, resigning in 1898 amid allegations from British superiors of dishonesty, including using his position to help friends acquire crown grants, persecute enemies, and obtain grants under false names for profit. He then practiced privately as a surveyor. Macaulay was reportedly the first Nigerian to own a motor car and was a prominent socialite, organizing concerts and film shows at his Yaba residence, “Kirsten Hall,” earning the nickname “Wizard of Kirsten Hall” for his ability to obtain classified information through a network of paid informants. His personal papers, now at the University of Ibadan, contain leaked colonial government minutes, files, and telegrams. Politically, he joined the Anti-Slavery and Aborigines’ Protection Society and became a vocal opponent of British rule, galvanizing early political consciousness. Despite his Anglican upbringing, he embraced indigenous traditions, was superstitious, and belonged to the Association of Babalawos (Ifa priests) of Lagos. His legacy as the founder of Nigerian nationalism is tempered by the controversies surrounding his surveying career.

Did You Know?

• Macaulay was reportedly the first Nigerian to own a motor car.
• He was a graduate of the Royal Institute of British Architects and received certificates in music from Trinity College, London.
• He was nicknamed 'Wizard of Kirsten Hall' for his ability to obtain classified colonial government information.
• His father, Thomas Babington Macaulay, founded the first secondary school in Nigeria, CMS Grammar School, Lagos.